Luke Days - brings back memories

I've been going through all my pictures of the kids and our "little" family. :) And I found these from when we went to Luke Days in March. Luke is an Air Force Base here by us and they have Luke Days once a year. We LOVE to go and see the Air Show and walk around looking at the different planes and vehicles. Here are some of the photos from this past year:

Luke Days - 3/07

Just click on the photo to see the whole album.

I think that I'M the one who has the most fun. As soon as we walk onto the Base, a rush of memories come flooding into my mind. Growing up, we lived on Air Force Bases and often went to the Air Shows. I'm sure all my siblings remember being so excited to see the Blue Angels or just walk around with our friends, feeling so grown up. I want to share that feeling with my own kids, but then I realize, its not the Air Shows that bring back all the memories, its living on the Base.

I remember how cute all the men in "pickles" were! Or playing with a large group of friends after dark in the streets. I remember going to the BX and the Commisary. The swimming pool in the summer. I remember feeling so priviledged when we went through the gate and were saluted in. Like I belonged to a unique group. We even had ID's so that we could get into the Base, or the stores. The Base was a close community! Everyone understood everyone else because we all had the same background. We all knew what it was like to move, make friends, move again (repeat often). At first it was sad, but then you looked forward to the fresh start every few years.

There is a large part of my heart that is still connected to the Air Force. I get choked up when I say the Pledge of Alliegance or sing the National Anthem. Its embarrasing when I visit my childrens classes and they do the Pledge in the mornings. I'm the only Mom crying. :) I love, admire, respect the men and women serving because we were once there too.